Airplanes, pyrotechnics and Rexburg: City’s annual air show presents new feature

The 2016 Legacy Flight Museum Air Show will feature pyrotechnics during the presentation for the first time in the show’s history.

The air show will take place Saturday, June 18, and run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rexburg-Madison County Airport and will be free to the public, according to the Legacy Flight Museum website.

“We are going to have live charges being set off, like strafing runs and bombing runs,” said Julia Lewis, city liaison for the Legacy Flight Museum.

Lewis said the Firewalkers International LLC out of Boise will be in charge of handling the pyrotechnics.

Along with the aerobatics, the air show will feature a warbird review, according to the museum’s Facebook page.

“The reason for the air show is to help educate the community about World War II and the role these aircraft played in the defense of our country,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the event is an educational experience and a gift to the community from the museum’s founder.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see some of the most rare aircraft from the World War II era,” Lewis said. “This is a chance to come and see what happened historically, how the aircraft worked historically, to hear them, be around them and watch them fly.”

Lewis said many pilots will be in attendance showing off their warbirds.

“We have several aerobatic pilots that are coming,” Lewis said. “Many of these are returning pilots who come to donate their time and their airplanes for the show.”

Spectators may also pay for a ride in a Douglas DC-3 aircraft, according to the Legacy Flight Museum website.

“This is really an opportunity to experience what these aircraft were like when they were used to defend their country,” Lewis said.

Lewis said the air show truly is a tribute to every soldier who fought for our country.

“We made it free so that people could bring their families and experience what is happening here and appreciate those who suffered and gave so much so that we could be free,” said John Bagley, founder of the Legacy Flight Museum and head organizer of the air show.“This is our tribute to them.”

Lewis said that although the air show is dedicated to every soldier, it will be focused specifically on the World War II era.

“We have the possibility of putting a dozen World War II aircraft in the air,” Lewis said. “These are aircraft where you would need to travel a thousand miles or more to get to see them flown in the air.”

Lewis said a number of other rare and historic planes will be flown, such as the P-63, which is one of only three remaining that flies, and the P-51, which was called the Cadillac of the skies in World War II.

“P-51s did a lot for the bombers to keep our enemies from shooting them down,” Lewis said. “All of these planes have a long history of accomplishments.”

Lewis said it is hard to believe the amount of work that goes into the event, but that it is an honor to see these airplanes and pilots in Rexburg.

“You would not believe the amount of work that goes on,” Lewis said. “It will be a unique experience to be at the airport, to see these aircraft flying and to hear them in the air.”